


Professional Aid

by LetoaSai



Series: StrifeHart Fluff [31]
Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Alternate Universe, Favors, Go to the mercenaries when you have a problem, M/M, Searching, Zack's on board, artistic kids
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-06
Updated: 2019-12-06
Packaged: 2021-02-25 05:08:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,485
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21690697
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LetoaSai/pseuds/LetoaSai
Summary: Cloud and Leon weren't about to give up on finding Xion, even if that meant calling in some unorthodox help.
Relationships: Cloud/Leon (Kingdom Hearts), Leon (Kingdom Hearts)/Squall Leonhart/Cloud Strife
Series: StrifeHart Fluff [31]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1108581
Comments: 16
Kudos: 103





	Professional Aid

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts

Cloud watched through the viewing window and smirked at the workout going on inside. Personally, Cloud liked working with children at his studio. He liked working with all of the woman coming in to learn to defend themselves in parking lots or walking home late at night too. 

He liked working with those who were more an intermediate level and were doing their best to improve. Even some of the advanced students were a joy. They held a pride in their skills. 

There were however those who were already strong and knew they had talent. That talent could lead to cockiness that Cloud found tiresome. When Zack happily volunteered to teach one of Cloud’s classes, Cloud knew exactly where to put him. 

When those students had arrived for class their first day Zack was their teacher, they had taken one look at his lithe frame and his happy grin and thought he’d be a pushover. They were very mistaken when he fell into his SOLDIER head space. The change in him was palpable and Cloud loved watching him run those assholes through a real workout. 

They always left aching and missing the days Cloud let them do as they pleased in class. Zack never went easy on them. If they couldn’t hack it, they weren’t ready for the next level of their training. 

Running things himself had made a lot of changes and this was one of his favorites. 

“Can i teach one of the kid classes?” Zack whined when he was the only one left in the room other than Cloud leaning against the door frame. “I mean these guys are funny but Seph and Angie would crush them if they were here. They really don’t know how to go easy on the noobs.” 

Cloud laughed softly and didn’t bother telling Zack that they were skilled by normal people standards. Mercenary standards not so much. 

“You want a second class?” Cloud’s brows rose. He’s thought Zack would want to back out after a few weeks, not ask for more. “Really?” 

Zack beamed. “If you give me something besides these muscle heads, absolutely.” 

Cloud rolled his eyes. “I have a class of ten to twelve year-olds on saturday mornings if you want. They’re still mixed in with younger kids and they really need to be separated. Want it?” 

“Yes. Yes. Like twenty-two more yes’s.” Zack nearly bounced on the balls of his feet. “Teaching kids is so much cooler. They’re excited about everything and that look on their face when they manage a move for the first time is the best.” 

“It’s yours.” Cloud agreed, having a house full of kids he’d had his share of pride as they improved. If Zack wanted to share that, he couldn’t fault him. “I wanted to talk to you. Have a minute?” 

“Sure.” Zack blinked, excited energy draining somewhat as he watched Cloud shut the door behind him. “You just gave me a second class so i can’t imagine your firing me.” 

“No.” Cloud shook his head, resisting the urge to snort at the comment. “I was actually hoping for a favor.” 

“Hm?” Zack hummed, eyes darkening. “The boys uncle sniffing around again? Say the word, Cloud. Seph already has a location picked out we could leave him.” 

Cloud’s lips stretched into a grim smile. “I’ll keep that in mind. Squall is definitely considering it, but no. I was hoping for something else. Something a little less violent.” 

“Oh yeah? Considered me intrigued.” 

Cloud hesitated, knowing there was no going back after bringing this up. Zack was always a force of nature. “We haven’t had any luck finding Ventus and Vanitas’ sister. We have social workers looking and police and all we know is that she’s been moved a lot. Records have gone missing or been misplaced.” Cloud shook his head. “We know that her name is Xion and the boys are pretty sure she was two and they were six when she was taken. Dark hair, blue eyes.” Cloud sighed softly. “It’s just not enough.” 

Zack nodded once, absorbing the information as if it were a mission. “So you want us to locate a little girl who is what, five? Six? You’re adding her to your ranks?” 

“Yes.” Cloud nodded. “How could we not? The whole reason we met with Ventus and Vanitas was because they were Sora and Roxas’ family. They became our family so easily.” 

It had only taken one meeting with the boys to know they belonged with them. Angry, trauma and all. Weeks of looking for their little sister hadn’t cultivated any results. 

“They look up to Squall, already expecting him to have all the answers and they’re trying to be patient. They only ask about it maybe one a week, and it took a lot of them to even bring her up the first time. Seeing their sister was the first thing they’ve ever asked for. How would we not try to reunite them?” 

“I didn’t mean to make it sound like i was questioning you.” Zack offered. “I think what you’re doing is a good thing. Of course we’ll help look.” 

“I didn’t mean to volunteer all of you.” 

Zack waved the comment off. “With Seph and Angie teaching at the academy, Gene has been bored out of his mind. He came to watch me teach last week just because he had nothing to do and he doesn’t know how to sit still. If i go home and tell him we’re on a search and rescue he’ll be ecstatic.” 

Cloud snorted. “We don’t know it’s a rescue.” 

“Whatever. Treat it like a mission until we know otherwise.” Zack shrugged. “Text me any information you have on the boys previous family. I’ll see what i can dig up. We’ll find your little girl.” 

“Squall and i would really appreciate it. They kids don’t really understand how she could be missing and Vanitas and Ventus are stressed about it.” Cloud leaned back against the wall. “We’re pretty sure they grew up hearing horror stories about what would happen to them if they were taken from the house. How they’d be separated and put in an even worse home.” 

“So your kids who are only ten years old have more PTSD and war scars then most adults.” Zack scoffed. “It’s takes a certain kind of scumbag to terrorize a child. You sure you don’t want us to have a word with their uncle?”

“If i do you’ll be the first one i call.” Cloud muttered. “Well, thank Gene in advance for me. Any help would be appreciated. For all we know she could have been adopted already, but at least we’ll know.” 

Zack slapped Cloud’s shoulder and grinned. “Knowledge is half the battle. Your kids are learning that. You leave this to us.” He walked out of the room, having learned to only hang around Cloud for short bursts before offering him a little room to breathe. 

Cloud nodded absently and watched him go. He couldn’t help but wonder how he’d gotten to this point. Zack and the others didn’t spend much time with his kids, but the kids knew about them. There was that part of Cloud that was still hesitated to bridge the gap completely no matter how often he actually saw Zack now that he worked for him. 

Things still felt iffy, and he didn’t want his kids getting attached. If Zack and Genesis found something though, where did that leave him? Did he take that hand stretched out in friendship? Was he the one offering the olive branch? 

He was too old for friendship problems. 

Their friendship had made huge strides in recent weeks but this was something more of a running leap.

It didn’t take him long to close up for the night and found his home oddly empty when he arrived. 

“What in the fuck?” He muttered, wandering into the kitchen were Leon was making a grilled cheese. 

“Hey. I have slaved over the stove for you.” Leon commented, glancing over his shoulder with an amused glint in his eyes. 

Cloud snorted. “Did bedtime come early?” he drifted into the room, happy for whatever food was waiting for him that he didn’t have to make. 

“Nah. Sleep over. Riku, Roxas, and Sora are over Lightning’s. Ventus and Vanitas opted not to go but i think they’re up in their room drawing in those sketchbooks Yuffie gave them. They’ve been pretty fascinated by them. Any distraction is a good one.” 

“Hey, quiet night sounds nice.” Cloud muttered, internally laughing at Lightning’s plight at having to look after so many kids. “Thanks.” he added after taking his plate. He hopped up to sit on the kitchen counter as he often did and was already not looking forward to chastising the kids for doing the same once they were tall enough to realize they could. 

He knew he set the occasional bad example. 

“So i talked to Zack tonight.” 

Leon grunted, immediately knowing what conversation they were having. “And?” 

“He’s going to see what he can find. I’ll get whatever information i can from Shera and send it to him.” Cloud muttered. “I already don’t know how i feel about this.” 

“Likewise.” Leon pulled out a chair to sit beside him. “But we talked about this, Rain Cloud. We’re not sending them to do anything violent or even incriminating. Just using their resources to help up find a little girl.” 

Cloud nodded, taking a bite out of his sandwich and reaching out to take Leon’s hand. “Bit of a last resort, isn’t it?” 

“I don’t want this to take years, but if it does, it does.” Leon sighed, bringing Cloud’s hand to his face to kiss his knuckles. “We all need to know where she is.” 

He didn’t want to tell him that if Zack couldn’t find her, then there was little hope in her being found. One of them should remain optimistic and for the sake of Ventus and Vanitas’ happiness, Leon was in this for the long hall. 

“It’s only been a few weeks.” Cloud muttered, trying to regain his footing. “She’s out there.” 

“Yes.” Leon squeezed his hand and played with his fingers. “We’ll reunite the boys with Xion no matter what.” 

One way or another. Cloud finished silently. He just hoped that when they learned something it would be good news. 

There was soft shuffling from down the hall before Ventus poked his head in with a little smile. “Um, dad.” He began, stumbling into the kitchen when his brother came up behind him and he had no choice. “Does this look right?” he asked, setting down a folded, origami flower. 

Cloud’s brows rose while Leon turned to examine it. 

“Wow,” Leon muttered, flipping it around in his hands and noting how careful Ventus has been with all the folds. 

“Where did you learn this?” Cloud asked, floored. 

“Denzel showed me.” 

Denzel hadn’t been there for at least two weeks. “And you remembered how?” Cloud was impressed. He was already proving to had a good memory, something Cloud couldn't boast about himself. “Dang, i probably couldn’t even remember how to make a paper airplane.” 

“It’s incredible.” Leon echoed with a pleased smile. “What are you going to do with it?” 

“Um,” Ventus shrugged. “I told Kairi if i could remember how to do it then i’d give it to her. It wasn’t hard once i remembered the first part.” 

Leon handed it back to him with a grin. “I’d say you were successful.”

Cloud leaned back in his seat enough to see Vanitas hovering in the doorway. He was watching his brother and held his brand new sketchbook to his chest. 

“What about you Vani?” Cloud asked, smiling a little when Vanitas jumped at being addressed. “Did you make something to?” 

“Well…” 

“He drew a picture of me while i was folding the flower.” Ventus said helpfully, smiling faintly when his brother went pink. “What? You did. Show them.” 

Vanitas shifted awkwardly. “It’s not done.” 

“That’s okay.” Cloud smiled at him. “Can i see?” 

The child shifted at the door, uncertainty written all over his face before he inched in a step at a time and opened up the sketchbook to the last page he’d been drawing on. If he didn’t want Cloud since his first few tries, that was fine.

“Holy…” Cloud cut himself off before he cussed in front of the kids. “Vani, this is really good.” It wasn’t museum quality or anything but it was beyond impressive for a ten year- old. The lines were dark and it was covered in eraser marks but had Cloud been asked he would have been able to clearly identify it as a picture of Ventus. 

“Oh…” Leon’s leaned over to look. “It’s better than just good. I had no idea you two were turning out to be such artists.” 

“Vani’s really good.” Ventus grinned, enjoying the praise they were both getting. “We’d trace pictures in magazines and stuff before, or doodle on papers at school. These books with blank pages are fun.” 

“We’ll when these are full we’ll have to get you another.” Cloud said, smiling at Vanitas and how as bright red. The boy didn't embarrass easily. “Would you like that?" 

Vanitas nodded quickly, shyly taking his sketchbook back. 

“Yeah!” Ventus perked up. “It’s a lot of fun. I like the folding and the painting too.” 

“Next time Ellone comes to visit i’ll make sure she brings her paints with her. You’d like painting with her.” Leon said. “She sells her art sometimes.” 

Vanitas leaned against the table beside Cloud. “You can sell it?” 

Cloud hummed an affirmative. “There are lots of jobs where art is involved. Selling things you’ve done is only one of them.” 

Vanitas hummed, looking down at his sketchbook with his mind whirling and Cloud had to wonder if they really would end up being little artists. 

“We’ll c’mon.” Leon said, getting up. “It’s just the four of us tonight so we might as well find a movie you two haven’t seen yet.” 

It had become something of a game for Ventus and Vanitas to watch movies when the other kids weren’t home. While they didn’t mean to, Sora and Roxas often spoiled the ending before it got there.

“Can i pick?” Ventus asked, already trailing after Leon. 

“Sure.” 

Cloud finished the last of his sandwich and nodded for Vanitas to follow along. “C’mon, you can keep drawing, you know? It's a good hobby.” 

“Uh huh.” Vanitas smiled faintly. It was this little uptick to his lips that reminded him of Leon. “It’s fun.” He held his book tighter, and Cloud had to wonder if there were pictures of Riku, Roxas, and Sora in there too. He had to wonder if Vanitas would keep practicing and some day soon get to add Xion to those pages. 

It was too early to know.

**Author's Note:**

> Master List. In Order. Mostly. 
> 
> Out of Order  
> A Winning Distraction (in the middle of Out of Order)  
> Quiet Midnight (in the middle of Out of Order)  
> First Dance  
> Until Monday  
> Repeat  
> Not enough treats  
> Wager  
> Calling Home (technically just before and just after Wager)  
> Renewals   
> Date Night  
> Sick Lions  
> Bad Memories  
> Not Perfect (could really fit in a few places, here is fine)  
> Patience  
> Long Weekends  
> Fever  
> Melee  
> Time will Tell  
> Rumble  
> Fortitude  
> A Day for Two  
> Summer Sun  
> Homemade  
> Moving on  
> Probably Haunted  
> The Night Before: by Kutikue  
> It’s only two more  
> Safeguard  
> Finding Sleep  
> Wishes  
> Professional Aid


End file.
